I know there is a retail product out there if you're willing to throw money at the solution, but I have decided to go the cheap route. There are several local window tinting shops around here who are more than happy to toss you some of their scraps - all you need is a piece about 11" x 2", then cut to fit the inside of your face shield.

Not only am I going to slap one of these on my clear shield (for those dawn/dusk trips), but on my dark smoke shield as well - there are many times where the direct sun is a bit strong even for the standard tint of the dark smoke.

To fit my Arai helmet (with brow vents), I created my own paper template for cutting out the window film - see attached PDF. If your visor doesn't have brow vents, you can just extend the lines a bit by hand.

Easy instructions:

1. Clean inside of shield.
2. In a bowl, mix a cup or two of water with a healthy squirt of dish soap.
3. Cut the window film to approximate size, tape to the template (backing side up).
4. Use an exacto knife to trim to shape.
5. Peel off the backing and dunk the film in the soap mix (keep track of which side is the sticky side).
6. Position the film to the inside of the shield. This might be easier if you do this while the shield is on the helmet, in the closed position. The soap/water residue will easily permit precise positioning of the film by sliding it into place. Be careful to keep the top edge of the film far enough away from the rubber seal on the helmet so the film doesn't tend to get caught up on the rubber seal when the shield is opened.
7. Smooth any air bubbles out with your fingers.
8. Using a soft towel, gently smooth the film out, from the center outward. Use repeated strokes with increasing pressure, taking care not to slide the film out of position.
9. Wipe excess water/soap off the shield with the towel.
10. Shield is ready for careful use immediately; full "curing" will be complete the next day.

Once you've cut the film to shape, the whole process of applying the film to the shield takes about a minute or two.

I know there is a retail product out there if you're willing to throw money at the solution, but I have decided to go the cheap route. There are several local window tinting shops around here who are more than happy to toss you some of their scraps - all you need is a piece about 11" x 2", then cut to fit the inside of your face shield.

I use a good quality, Scotch electrical tape. I've used it on clear and smoked visors. I have not had any problem with residue, and the tape comes in handy for small repairs, first aid....many purposes, should you need it. I generally run 3-4 rows of the tape, just enough to see all I need, and block out the sun completely on the top of the shield. Trick is to clean the visor, and not overstretch the tape when you put it on.

Aww.. sometimes I like the shield to be completely clear.. so I use the "static cling" plastic ... the sell it at RV stores and Wally-wierd... it's a long, narrow sheet (about 5 inches wide), enough to cross the windshield of an RV.

Cut a strip and stick it on the inside of the visor.... Remove and stow in a pocket or toss it..

The roll cost about $3.66 back in 2000... and I still have plenty to cut up.

Even better! I like the cling stuff. Will have to check that out. That article also specifically says to use only a few drops of soap for "an entire spray bottle" full of water - that would probably address the minor problem I observed with little bubbles & wrinkles that keep reappearing after being smoothed out. It may also be necessary to cut my shade into 2 or 3 narrow strips to mitigate the complex curvature of the visor.

the soap act as dispersant changing the water surface tension.. (makes water flow better/thinner) Also, as water evaporates at edges, the soap's fluidity helps water remain consistent depth across the surface contact area.

I tried some static cling tint on the outside. Eventually it would blow off.

But I found with either of my bikes, I don't use the top third of my visor so I just use pvc electrical tape or blue painter's tape. Both block the sun when it is at a low angle and blocks the brightness of the sky that causes glare when the sun is high above.

Cheap solutions are all around us. We just have to think outside the box. A product specifically marketed for motorcycling doesn't make it any better, just better marketed.

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